Shelley Gray – författare

Lydia’s job at the library is her world—she never expected to be a suspect to a murder. And now she must rely on the one man she’s not sure she can trust.Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be. “Shelley Gray writes a well-paced story full of historical detail that will invite you into the romance, the glamour . . . and the mystery surrounding the Chicago World’s Fair.” —Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of Rosemary Cottage and the Hope Beach series The Chicago World Fair Mystery seriesBook 1—Secrets of Sloane HouseBook 2—Deception on Sable HillBook 3—Whispers in the Reading RoomBook length: 86,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

A high-stakes mystery of romance and intrigue that takes place in the Gilded Age of Chicago.It’s mid-September 1893 and Eloisa Carstairs is the reigning debutant of Gilded Age Chicago society. To outsiders she appears to have it all. But Eloisa is living with a dark secret. Several months ago, she endured a horrible assault at the hands of Douglass Sloane, heir to one of Chicago’s wealthiest families. Fearing the loss of her reputation, Eloisa confided in only one friend. That is, until she meets Detective Sean Ryan at a high-society ball.Sean is on the fringes of the Chicago elite. Born into a poor Irish family, becoming a policeman was his best chance to ensure security. Despite social boundaries, he is enamored with Eloisa Carstairs. Sean will do anything to keep her safe—even if he can never earn her affections.Eloisa longs to feel normal again, but a killer is on the loose. In the last month, three debutants have been accosted by an assailant wielding a knife, and Eloisa fears for her safety at every event she attends. As the danger in the city increases, and as the romance between Eloisa and Sean blossoms, they both realize they want to be seen as more than how the world views them. But will they catch the killer before all their hopes come crashing down?“Shelley Gray writes a well-paced story full of historical detail that will invite you into the romance, the glamour . . . and the mystery surrounding the Chicago World’s Fair.” —Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of Rosemary Cottage and the Hope Beach series The Chicago World Fair Mystery seriesBook 1—Secrets of Sloane HouseBook 2—Deception on Sable HillBook 3—Whispers in the Reading RoomBook length: 86,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

Against the backdrop of the 1893 World’s Fair, a new kind of crime comes to Gilded Age Chicago . . . and a lonely young woman is always at risk.Back on the farm in Wisconsin, Rosalind’s plan had seemed logical: Move to Chicago. Get hired on at Sloane House, one of the most gilded mansions of Chicago. Discover what transpired while her sister worked as a maid there—and follow the clues to why she disappeared.Now, as a live-in housemaid to the Sloanes, Rosalind realizes her plan had been woefully simple-minded.She was ignorant of the hard, hidden life of a servant in a big, prominent house; of the divide between the Sloane family and the people who served them; and most of all, she had never imagined so many people could live in such proximity and keep such dark secrets.Yet, while Sloane House is daunting, the streets of Chicago are downright dangerous. But when Rosalind accepts the friendship of Reid Armstrong, the handsome young heir to a Chicago silver fortune, she becomes an accidental rival to Veronica Sloane.As Rosalind continues to disguise her kinship to the missing maid—and struggles to appease her jealous mistress—she probes the dark secrets of Sloane House and comes ever closer to uncovering her sister’s mysterious fate. A fate that everyone in the house seems to know . . . but which no one dares to name.“Gray writes with honesty, tenderness, and depth. Her characters are admirable, richly layered, and impossible to forget long after the story is done.” —Jillian HartPart of the Chicago World’s Fair Mystery series:Book one: Secrets of Sloane HouseBook two: Deception on Sable HillBook three: Whispers in the Reading RoomBook length: approximately 95,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

“You don’t have to be a fan of Southern fiction or historical fiction to appreciate and enjoy the fabulous storytelling in this collection.” —4½ stars, RT Book ReviewsIn the most turbulent decade of our nation's history, four Southern women—destinies forged by birth, hearts steeled by war—face near impossible choices on their journeys in life . . . and in love.To Mend a Dream by Tamera AlexanderSavannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front? This time, one of the heart.An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley GrayWhen Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he's determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother's homestead, he discovers she's very ill, and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.A Heart So True by Dorothy LoveAbigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another—and a terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth MusserEmily has a secret: She's in love with one of the freedmen on her family's plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.“Four intriguing novellas rich in historical detail, with unique settings and surprising premises—each filled with romance and heartbreak, pain and redemption. This collection set in the nineteenth century took me home to times and places in the Deep South I’ve visited only in my dreams. An absolute pleasure to read.” —Cathy Gohlke, bestselling author of Secrets She Kept and Saving Amelie“Among the Fair Magnolias will sweep you into the past, carrying you into the beauty and battles of the Old South. You will love, laugh, and lament as your heart is inspired to face life with courage and live it more fully.” —Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times and CBA bestselling author